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BANGALORE: The A.T. Ramaswamy Joint Legislature Committee probing the encroachment of government lands in and around Bangalore has decided to seek the prosecution of 300 government officials, who have allegedly colluded with land grabbers.

After another round of inspection of various areas in Bangalore on Thursday, Mr. Ramaswamy told presspersons that the committee had so far identified 300 personnel, particularly of the Revenue Department, who had colluded with the land grabbers. All of them would have to be prosecuted since they were all a party to usurping of valuable government property, he said and added that their names would be released shortly. The committee inspected the Binnamangala and Banashankari areas where government land had been encroached and the property had been made over to a developer for constructing an apartment. Even the building construction plan on the encroached property was in gross violation since it was in the proximity of a national highway and consequently in gross violation of the highways legislation.

The personnel of Bangalore Development Authority and Bangalore Mahanagara Palike had reportedly colluded in this matter, he said. The price paid to the personnel concerned were some flats, which were indeed a "gift".

Baig issued notice

Meanwhile, Congress MLA R. Roshan Baig, who is a member of the committee, participated in the inspections on Thursday despite the party asking him not to do so. He has since been served a show-cause notice.

Mr. Baig told The Hindu that he was doing his duty as a legislator and had not indulged in any anti-party activity. "I am here as a representative of the people".

The Congress had sought the inclusion of the former Minister D.K. Shivakumar in the committee. The Speaker of the Assembly, Krishna,has stated that it his prerogative to select members of any given legislature committee.

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